A More Convenient Season

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And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. – Acts 24:24-25.

While at youth camp this summer (2001) I listened to a man who is a pastor and a farmer in northern Oklahoma share a sad story. It is the reverse of the situation with Paul and Felix. He talked about how he knew that his neighbor was lost and for twenty years put off witnessing to him. One Sunday he told his wife that he was going to go and talk to his neighbor the next day about his need for Christ. But that night they received a phone call and his neighbor had died. You could hear the regret in the man’s voice as he told of this sad event.

Yes, many times people will, as did Felix, put off making a decision about Christ after they have heard the gospel presented. However, too many times it is the Christian who is procrastinating. It is the Christian who is thinking that they will wait for a more convenient season. What is it that makes us wait twenty or thirty years for a more convenient time? Laziness? Pride? The possibility of embarrassment? Hurriedness? Unconcern? Contempt?

Until we come to a place of commitment about witnessing there will always be an excuse. We cannot wait for better times. We must seize the moment, seize the opportunity just as the apostle Paul did with Felix.